Wanted: The Marie Kondo of Customer Communication
How are those New Year’s resolutions coming along? Eating healthier, exercising more, drinking less, or—very trendy—decluttering thoroughly? That’s what Marie Kondo is all about in her book *The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up*. The Japanese author advocates for a major decluttering, because a tidy home means a tidy mind. The most important question when decluttering and getting rid of things is to ask yourself about every item: Does this spark joy?
For me, tidying up my workspace is the starting point. I begin with the stack of insurance documents, which I file away in folders. There, my eye catches a cover letter from my disability insurance provider. The name of the product, “UNIM Vernieuwd 0510 AOV,” is mentioned three times: in the subject line, the opening sentence, and the policy description.
I took out this important income protection insurance policy two years ago, and apparently it was a UNIM Vernieuwd 0510 AOV. The letter doesn’t say much else, but I do wonder if there’s also a UNIM Verouderd AOV policy. And what does UNIM stand for? To stick with Marie Kondo: does this make me happy? No. What an unclear letter—and full of jargon, too. As a customer, I can’t make heads or tails of it. You’d think that various communications experts and lawyers would have reviewed the letter and deemed it correct. I’ll file away the policy, and the letter is going straight into the recycling bin.
I’m also cleaning up the digital clutter in my inbox. That involves a visit to my spam folder, which holds a staggering 567 unread messages. I scan the list of emails, and they’re mostly newsletters recommending products or services. In all honesty, it’s a tragic sight here, too. Most of the emails don’t even start with my name, and I can’t answer “Does this make me happy?” in the affirmative even once. I select all the emails, and with a single click on the big red X, everything disappears into the digital trash can. See, that really clears things up—this is what does make me happy.
The question that lingers in my mind is: Where is the Marie Kondo of customer communication? The man or woman who makes it fun. Who adds visuals to letters alongside long blocks of text. Who spices up the terms and conditions. Who ensures that newsletters are only sent when they’ll make the customer happy. Hey there, Marie Kondo of customer communication, we need you!
This blog was written for CustomerFirst and published on January 31, 2018
Don't want to miss another blog post? Sign up for my monthly CX Greetz!
*****
Nienke Bloem is often referred to as the Customer Experience speaker in the blue dress.
She is a global CX thought leader, educator, and keynote speaker who inspires audiences with best practices and proven methodologies. She runs a speaking practice, a CX game company, and a training business; she lives and breathes Customer Experience and is the author of two books on CX.
Her two-day Customer Experience Masterclass is known as the best program to prepare for the CCXP, and she is the go-to person for CX leaders who want to advance their leadership and achieve immediate results from their Customer Experience transformation programs. Since 2020, she has been hosting a CX Leadership Masterminds program and helping leaders enhance their leadership skills and deliver an engaging CX story, including a solid CX strategy. In addition, she is a modern-day pilgrim and has drawn parallels between her journey and leading customer-centric transformations.
With over 20 years of corporate experience, she speaks the language of business. Her keynote speeches and training programs on customer experience are inspiring and practical. She is one of the few Recognized Training Partners of the CXPA, and her mission is to make customer experience work and help you achieve business results.
